Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1887-01-14
COMPENSATION FOR SLAVES

'VafLNSAIiON FOR SLAVES.
Mr. i G Harris Of Lsonsrdtoxo
in a lentthy letter published in Il,
Beacon, addressed to the former sl,,,
owners Of this State advances the a.,
that the general government shood
compensate them for their slaves Ne
. DIFF fron the views Of tho s.
Mary's ceunty's veteran Demo.
crat. aud in our opinion, if the action
Of the members Of the last General A..
semhly means anything, he has strqe.
upon very unpopular chord d
hi. time
1t will be remembered that Mr. GAM
OF Calvert county offered a resolution or
something to that effect in -he last Lsg.
i'lature calling upon the general gorern.
msnt to compensate the former sl,,e
holders for their slaves, and it wa, Dc.
40 ~
fe''ed by the Democrats majority sni
Mr. Can't was put down as as a "cr,pkr
for advocating such measure Nos
those members we're fresh from the reo.
pie aud were presumed to know the
wishes Of their constituents therefor.
While few like Mr.. Harris vonlj Ii.e
to make such hnul from the govern
mcnt cash box, a majority %
aot SO desire, and put down al
advocates Of such measure in
the language Of the Democratic Gen.
srAl Assembly as "eranks" The
true intent seems to have been htbou.
ed by the Herald of Baltimore, we there
refrain from writing more and publish
its interesting comment:
According to Mr. Harris says the Her
alb there we're 81 coo slaves in this SAFE
in the year 1860, and he cl,ms tina, these
slaves were confscated from their 10.
questioned owners by the orders and pro-
cecdlngs Of the general government. 10. !
der the provision Of the Constitution.
that gave it power to appropriate for
public use the private property of
citizen.
1t is here that Mr. Harris makes bis :
paint. lie says: The same con.titu
tional provision declares that when 80
taken Just compensation shall be allowed
lie then argues that as the slaves held a
by himself aud others were private prop d
erty, taken as such, an honest and pa Il
rental government will without doubt h
make compensation for them. At tho
valuation set by Congress on slaves
$500 each--the AMOUNT due to the slave s.
owners of this State is fixed at S26. OOO,- IL
900, and this sum is set down BY Mr. h
Harris as just debt By II government
to the shareholders, their heirs and
assigns
Not content with a mere financial est
mate, Mr.. Harris claims sympathy with
the slave-owners for the vast discomfort l
suffering and want which they have Gu. a
dured by so long a delay of compena- y
ton due them. He calls upon Congress :,
to make an appropriation from the sur.
plus to promptly provide for the payment "
of the debt, and 80 cheer the hears Of il
many who from old age will soon SINK ;,
into their graves, and, if their hopes are !,
bighted, will do SO with the painful VI
knowledge that those they leave behind ri
Children and grandchildren will suffer p
from penurv and want" ~
This last feature In the~@sdtfcnf Il;
tells the whole tale The cof zness W.
is let out Of the slayeh olde. bag. Why
should the children and grandchildren mo
Of former shareholders suffer from penury TIL
and want SO long as they have their wa
health and the use of their heads aud Nv
hands? Mr. Harris assumes the miser- da,
able postulate, which this country has | !
demonstrated at such terrible cost TO be
/ npoltic, inhumaR and unjust, namrly:
That any man or woman hasa right to
be supported by the unpaid labor of 9TH
ers. In enancipating slaves the gov =,
crnmcrt emanclpated their owners also ."'
They became independent men and wo- uol
mcn fsr the first time, with all highest QUO
possibilities of American citizenship '"'
According to Mr. Harris, he and 9th
er former slave owners can call en- the car
Hen. Simon Cameron aud John Sher- ton
man for support and encouragement in nal
claiming compensation from the govern inc
mcnt where slaves we're the property OF the
loyal citiz as But how many actual yea
slave owners in Maryland we're "loyal
citizens during the war. =.
Mr.. Harris concludes bis sppeal with 'e'
a quotation from Scripture in faver of y
mercy and truth These divine quail nv NJ
ties sound discordantly beside demand oo W;
based on human slavery. I;o
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